Pakistan is set to rest senior pacers Shaheen Afridi & Haris Rauf for the upcoming tri-series against the UAE and Afghanistan, scheduled to begin on August 29. The former is currently part of the ongoing ODI series against West Indies, while the latter is still recovering from the hamstring injury, which he sustained during his stint while playing Major League Cricket (MLC). With a busy schedule ahead for Pakistan, they have decided to manage the workloads of Shaheen & Rauf.
According to GEO Super, the duo will next be seen in the Asia Cup 2025 event, set to begin on September 09 to 28. The Apex Cricket Board of Pakistan is aiming to have the two pace spearheads refreshed & fit for the Continental Cup, as the Men in Green chase their third title. Shaheen and Rauf are expected to join the team in the UAE days before the Asia Cup kicks off.
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Meanwhile, PCB is likely to include Salman Mirza & all-rounder Ahmed Daniyal for the tri-series.
Pakistan set to test their bench strength for the tri-series Cup
Like several teams that rest their premier pacers due to workload issues, PCB has also taken the same route. The Asia Cup, which will be played among eight teams in a T20I format, will give Pakistan the opportunity to finalize their playing combinations for the T20 World Cup 2026 event. Notably, for the tr-series, which precedes the Continental Cup, the PCB wants to test its bench strength.
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In the absence of Rauf and Shaheen Afridi, if the rest of the young pacers manage to impress, then they have a fair shot at getting selected for the Continental Cup as well.
Pakistan's Schedule For Tri-Series In UAE
Here is Pakistan's tour Schedule For the Tri-Series in the UAE
- 29 August – Afghanistan vs Pakistan
- 30 August – UAE vs Pakistan
- 1 September – UAE vs Afghanistan
- 2 September – Pakistan vs Afghanistan
- 4 September – Pakistan vs UAE
- 5 September – Afghanistan vs UAE
- 7 September – Final
